What's in a name?

Originally published at Kenya Allmond: In My Own Words. You can comment here or there.

A recent comment on my video blog has me reflecting on some of the weird reactions I have gotten to my name. For most of the early part of my life, people refused to call me by my name. I don't think it's that difficult to pronounce but some people's immediate reaction is "What's your nickname?" Um, sorry I don't have one. I have been called Kendra, Keisha, Tina, Tanya, Kena, Keya as well as other names. In 9th grade this dude swore out that I was this other girl Kendra Edmonds (similarity acknowledged). Apparently this girl was in one of his classes and he kept asking me why I'm not showing up to class insisting that the teacher called my name everyday.

Growing up in Chesapeake, Virginia, I had to hear somewhat regularly "What kind of name is that?" not just from the kids but also from the adults. As a little girl I admit that it made me self-conscious. I've even heard this in 1991 (wow, that many years ago!) when I worked at a gift shop on Capitol Hill. (Is it ever right to ask a person what kind of name they have?)

Equally annoying are those that seek to "inform" me that Kenya is a country in Africa. I don't remember a time when I did not know this. After all my mother didn't just make up the name; she knew that Kenya is a country in Africa when she selected it. And she taught me that it was in Africa, were it was on the map, and that Nairobi was the capital among other things. Imagine that.

Some people seem disappointed that I don't have an intriguing story about my name. It's really simple: My father's name is Kenneth and the name came to my mother as she was flipping through a magazine. She thought that it was the perfect name. There's no story other than that - no safaris, no international intrigue - although I've thought that maybe I'll make up a story (something about a Kenyan that went to Harvard) just to mess with folks. My mother grew up on a farm in Virginia and has only been out of the country once when I took her to the Bahamas for her birthday last year. At the same time, that doesn't mean she is in anyway ignorant. She is a lover of art and literature but I digress ...

Then there are those who seem extremely interested in my name in a way that seems creepy. I remember a question on how I got such an "exotic" name. Of course, I didn't know how to take that but to reply that there were many girls and guys from my generation that have the same name. I remember meeting this girl at a gathering. I don't remember the specifics but this girl went on and on about how I had such a responsibility on my shoulders being named after a whole country. I thought it was kind of weird (kind of like that time a lady was following me around a grocery store in New Brunswick, New Jersey saying I had distinctive features but that's another story).

In recent years, I've confused and/or angered Kenyans with my name. I've had some sort of website since 1995. I've received messages from people (Kenyans presumably) disappointed by my site because they were looking for a site about the Republic of Kenya. I responded to that back then by placing a disclaimer at the top of the home page and link to somewhere like kenya.com.

There was also the time that I was stopped at the light. A dude in a truck beside me started speaking to me in a language that I assume was Swahili. I was like "Huh?" obviously confused. The guy yells "You're not from Kenya" and angrily speeds away. I wondered how he got the impression that I was from Kenya. Well, on my keychain was a fob that was a miniature DC license plate with "Kenya" engraved. I still have this fob as things with my name are hard to come by.

The fact of the matter is that as a kid I had a hard time with my name. I always wanted a "normal" name - I don't have one "normal" name - not my first name, not my middle name, not my last name. I have stories about my last name as well. At any rate, it wasn't until late high school that I felt that I owned my name instead of it owning me. I don't feel that my name disrespects anyone and I will not apologize for it. Although the combination of Kenya and Allmond does sound like some sort of coffee flavor.

There are a few people every now and then with jokes but it really doesn't phase me. I really have heard them all. However, I have been taken by surprise though with those that are offended because they are confused by my name.